Flitting
by HeatherN
Summary: The Calling that has affected her kind for thousands of years has finally reached Rin. Just as she meets a creature that has left her breathless. As she ventures out of her own world for the first time, she discovers his. Will they find each other or will she return to her land without a purpose? Find out inside... Sesshomaru/Rin plus a bit of cannon couples! AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha. I claim no rights to the characters and any plots associated with the story. The story the little mermaid is currently public domain and I have taken creative license with it in order to make it fit my ideas. If you like the plot line or style please feel free to play with it I only ask you give me some semblance of credit.**

The girl looked up longingly from the waves. The ship drifted choppily over the stirring water while it's inhabitants rallied on. The sounds and shapes she saw made her wish she was up there too. The people seemed to flit around swimming in the air. 'How do they do that?' she wondered, wishing she could do the same.

She began to drift into a daydream until she noticed a figure coming closer to her edge of the railing so she sunk lower into the abyss. As she looked up she gazed upon one of the most handsome things she'd ever seen. He appeared to be young like her, but his hair was as silver as the ball of ice in the sky. Almost like her father, but he didn't appear to be as ancient. She studied his chiseled features with pale blue markings and his piercing gold eyes. The same gold as the things she found in the water ships deep below the surface.

She rose slightly from the waves to get a better look and all of the sudden their eyes met. His brow furrowed very slightly and he leaned further down. Unthinkingly the girl rose hoping to make contact before a sound from behind the creature startled her. She sunk below the waves again but not before giving one last glance to the creature above her. She dove just far enough that she could see and hear without it be reciprocated.

She watched as a creature younger looking than her creature walked up and stood next to him, speaking in a rough voice. "Sess, you aught to get back, don't want to be mistaken for a mermaid". The younger creature cackled while her creature just stood and seemed to slide a cold mask on. "Brother of the two of us, you are more likely mistaken to be a female. I do not cackle like you do, dog". The younger creature straitened and seemed to growl, but her creature seemed unaffected.

With one passing look back to the water, he slowly walked away from the railing. The girl watched as the younger creature threw a glance at her land, and then followed her creature inwards. The girl sighed remembering what the younger creature said. 'Sess, I must meet him, this must be my calling" she thought, and with a quick flit of her tail she dove further into the life water.

The girl swam until she saw the familiar reef formation and she slowed, swishing her fin to create more bubbles. The tiny colorful fish swarmed around her as she giggled.

They rushed against her and some lightly sucked on her skin. She shooed the off as she swam further into an opening in the reef made of colorful coral. Once inside she swam into the school she lived in. Various fish flitted around while her friends and subjects busied themselves with tasks.

As she passed each fish bowed their heads in acknowledgement and she smiled at them. Used to this treatment she swam faster with her little pack of fish following behind.

When she reached the largest piece of coral she swam through a large opening that had been created with gnashing teeth. When she had been just a guppie, her sister had told her stories of how the great white shark that her father had tamed chewed slowly at the coral until the hole was big enough and then promptly died. It had always made her cry whereas everyone else laughed.

She never understood why the shark had to die. But her sister just smiled and told her she was naïve and didn't understand the balance of life. She knew know that sharks were her biggest danger, yet in all of her encounters they had never harmed her. Not to say she didn't fear them.

Two lifecycles ago her sister had been badly wounded by a rock shark that had been angered by a human. She had to beach and had not been seen since. The girl sighed and continued her search. She hoped to find her father before he made any announcements. Today was to be her first beached day. Every year after a fish in her school turned fifteen life cycles the fish had to beach in order to find their purpose.

Some stayed on land, others returned with mates. The force of the sea decided the fate of its inhabitants, and sometimes the pull was stronger for others. After a fish was sent up they were required to return for three suns, so to inform the school of their purpose.

It helped protect the school as more of her school rises to the surface. This allowed each person to find his or her fate without the danger or confusion that the air world brought.

The girl swam up to a wide collection of coral and saw her father sitting on a polished rock in the middle of the room. In front of him lounged a Ôcto, his personal assistor.

"Father, I have come from the surface, I believe it is my time to beach". The man turned and his long silver hair floated around him. His bead swerved and bobbed as her opened his mouth to speak.

"Rin are you sure this is your time? You only celebrated two moons ago, perhaps you should wait a bit longer". Rin shook her head but didn't respond. She knew he wanted only for her to be safe, but when each fish felt their calling, it was their duty to respond.

He sighed and flipped himself upright. With a sad nod he headed to a small box that had been taken from an air world's ship. From within it her took a small vial and a necklace.

She trembled as she recognized the objects, each person in her family had used these very objects and now she had found time in her favor.

"The vial is of water essence, once you beach you must only but take a sip and you shan't need to touch water again. This necklace is to allow you to walk and function as what you should know now is man, human is what they call themselves". Rin nodded taking the necklace and securing it around her gills.

"Know this my daughter. As you take your first step as a human you will notice changes. This necklace helps to change your body but it can only do so much. You will have markings on your back and feet that signify your breeding. Should this necklace be removed you will become yourself split. Humans do not life this form, and will try to kill you if they see it. But they aren't your only concern. You must be weary of demons. For thousands of life cycles our kind has been their natural mates.

They find us irresistible, and if you are not careful they will court you with abandon. This necklace will help you but only so much. In the presence of royal blood it will cease to work and you must be prepared to handle them on your own. Do you understand?"

He took her hand in his and stared into her eyes searching for the answer. "Yes father I am, I will be careful and I will return when I know of my purpose." He nodded and lightly pecked her forehead. "Then you have my blessing and may the essence guide you."

A/N: SO as promised this is a rewrite of my series. I guess I had thought so much about avoiding the little mermaid that I lost my connection to the plot that I have in mind. Anyways, I might have components similar to the story but then again I might not. I hope that everyone likes it, and I welcome constructive criticism. I know that your probably just going to read and run, lord knows I do, but if you have a moment please take a second to review so I know what you think. You never know it might help me change the story completely! Expect the next chapter within the week, and if anyone is interested in betaing, please message me with a link to your profile! Have a wonderful day/night!


	2. Chapter 2

Last time in Flitting:

_He took her hand in his and stared into her eyes searching for the answer. "Yes father I am, I will be careful and I will return when I know of my purpose." He nodded and lightly pecked her forehead. "Then you have my blessing and may the essence guide you."_

Rin nodded to her father a last time and hugged him. This was what her sister used to do and it had become one of Rin's favorite gestures. Her father hugged back, holding his final daughter to him before letting her go. Rin righted herself feeling the sad wash over her. She swam to the entrance of the hall where her entourage waited and stopped to look back. She didn't know when she would next see her father and that scared her, but she knew she could only postpone her calling for mere hours before fate would take it upon itself to right her course. Letting out a sigh of bubbles she left the hall and the life she'd known behind.

As she swam she let the sadness wash away with every pull the current gave her. She set herself in the mindset she knew would help her the most.

'This was inevitable and I must accept it, fins I should be excited!' she thought fiercely. She set her jaw and swam faster towards the direction her creature had been traveling. She hoped she could catch up before it was absorbed unto the land, but she wasn't surprised to find she was later than she'd hoped.

She stayed just under the surface as she glided towards the land. She knew a couple in this "port" that was of her kind and would help her find her way. Sango and Miroku had been her sisters guppy friends, and when her sister went missing they left to find her, they returned moons later to inform the school that their calling was on land and where to find them.

As she got closer she realized she would have to find somewhere without people to change, as seeing her true form could cause complications. She found an empty cove and settled herself over a rock.

Reaching into the scales that covered her fin, she pulled two larger ones back to reveal the pouch she had placed the vial and necklace in. Removing the items she placed her scales back and studied the vial. It had drawings on it that marked it of the leaders.

It was common for every family to have a collection of vials, but none were so potent as the leaders family. It was suggested that when on land, the power her kind had in the water was transferred unto the land, allowing the user to be stronger than an average human. It was likely to help the continuation of the line as everyone went on land once.

She slipped the waxy piece of coral that sealed the vial and in one sudden burst of courage she drained the vial. It tasted horrible and amazing at the same time. First it was as if she was in the middle of a sea of blood, much like when a shark attacked a dolphin or whale. Then it was as refreshing as when she polished her scales.

It made her head spin with all of the sensations it induced, until suddenly it was gone. She felt like her whole body had been snapped to a stop from a high speed. When she looked to examine her body she was slightly surprised to see two limbs sprouting from her hips. She lightly touched them and nodded with understand. Her people tried to teach how to hand these land fins, but she was still trying to find her balance.

She slowly stood up and was relieved to find them strong, but she was unused to standing and quickly fell over. She laughed and began to splash around, she figured she might as well enjoy her practice. She splashed until the light in the sky fell unto the sea.

She sighed and righted herself back on to her quest. Taking the discarded necklace she gently placed it against her neck. As soon as the cool stones touched her neck she felt at peace. She looked down and found three markings that were visible on most of her exposed skin. As blue as the sea they looked like waves.

She was sure after thoroughly examining them that they were moving with the sea. She smiled, as she knew this would connect her to her home and she would never be fully separated from it. Shaking off her excitement she stood slowly and held her palm up at pointed.

"The sea has reached its peak and time, show me help so I shall find mine," she said firmly. It was a sort of spell that helped connect her people from being alone, and by the looks of it her markings had something to do with it. She waited until she heard rustling.

She gasped as two shadowed figures crept from the foliage around her. Her eyes adjusted to the rising of the moon and she smiled in delight as she recognized the two figures and she couldn't help a squeal as Sango and Miroku came to hug her.

"Rin we have missed you so much, look how much you have grown" Sango said with water in her eyes. "And I you Sango, it has been lonely without my family, but I am here now and it is time for me to find my calling."

Miroku poked her markings thoughtfully. "I have not seen such prominent marks before." He slid back the coverings he wore and pointed to his own faint blue lines. "This is what our markings commonly look like, they are easier to hide, but it seems yours will not be the same." He said thoughtfully.

Sango creased her forehead and sighed, "That means to cover you will have to wear full attire, which will be hard to get used to, I don't envy you but we will get over this slight hump." Sango said surely. "Why do you think they are so noticeable?" She asked with curiosity.

Rin giggled at the fast changing focus and emotions of her friends, it was so like them to flit from one object to the next. "Perhaps it is the leader's vial that causes it. My father used to say that it took our power from the sea and made us power on land. What is this full attire you speak of? Is it like what you cloth in now?"

Rin admired the dark wrapped thing around Sango that was held together by a rather large band with an almost invisible sea pattern on it. Sango grimaced and shook her head.

"No Rin, what I wear is the garb of a villager or merchant, which wouldn't work for you with your markings. What you will wear is more cloth and much more intricate. Much like coral, the clothing varies on how complicated it is. You will not like the attire at first but it is necessary, and ultimately will help you with dealings with humans."

Sango nodded with her statement and turned to Miroku. "We will have to go to town tomorrow and gather fabric, until then she will use my finer clothes. Now give her the yukata and lets bring her in for supper. "

Miroku nodded and handed a piece of attire Rin who took it and stared. "How does one assume this?" She said turning her head to the side slightly in confusion. "Simply put your hand here…." And Sango demonstrated helping Rin dress until she was finished tying a simple obe to the girl.

"Now stay close, there are many animals here that could be dangerous if encountered, so keep sharp. Humans faced predators much like we face sharks" Rin nodded and held tightly to her friend's garbs.

A/N: So Chapter 2! I'm pretty proud for pumping it out so fast. I have cut a few things out, but if I mention something in passing, assume you will know more later. Anyways I'd just like to say I'm so grateful for all of the reviews I've gotten. I have had a few people from my first story, and I just want to say Thank you for sticking with me! So if you could review I would appreciate it. And if you could mention what you think of the style of writing I'd much appreciate it, cause I'm starting to write essays for college (I'm a rising senior in high school) and I'm mainly writing this story to exercise my creativity and practice for righting imaginative, well written essays for entrance and various scholarships. Anyways! Tell me what you think and I'll either post again this week, or I might wait to post next week! Tata for now!


	3. Chapter 3

Rin stumbled behind Miroku and Sango as they led her through the land coral. As the branches swept past her, she reached out a pulled a curious green shape from one.

"What is this?" she asked her companions. They stopped and looked at what she held in her palm. "That is a leaf Rin, this foliage is a growth from a tree and it shows the life of the tree."

Rin gasped, had she unknowingly killed a 'tree'? She nervously glanced at the 'tree' she had pulled it from. She let out a relieved sigh as she realized that the 'tree' was still intact.

"How is it then that when I pulled this 'leaf' the tree did not die?" she asked curiously.

Sango smiled and started moving forward tugging Rin along with her. "It is more of a marker, if it is brown then the tree is dying, this happens every year as the cold comes, but not to worry the trees all rebirth and it will be green again. Losing one leaf will not harm that tree so do not fret."

Rin nodded and refocused her attention on the path her companions were leading her on.

After a time the 'trees' began to thin and the land under her feet became less rough and softer, greener. She preferred the sand, but this greenery was not so bad, it reminded her of kelp and she liked that.

In front of the party just past a hill was an odd shape. It resembled her school back at home but it was made of a curious material. Not like any coral she had ever seen.

"This is our home Rin, it is small by human standards but it suits our needs well." As the group reached the 'home' Rin could see it was made out of a sort of rock, but not one rock, instead hundreds of them that all seemed to be packed on top of each other.

They reached the opening and Rin watched as Miroku pulled a latch on a piece of wood, and the opening became unblocked. 'What a marvelous idea, we must consider those for the school" Rin thought with awe.

As she entered the 'home' she admired the things inside. The floor was covered with an odd sort of paper that was squishy yet hard under her new feet. The walls seemed to be covered in the same material, but it was thinner in areas, almost so thin you could see.

It seemed that some of the paper moved and allowed more space, but some did not.

"As you can see the inside is far different than home, but once you spend time in it, it isn't that bad." Sango said with a smile. "Okay, so I am going to give you my best cloths in order to cover those markings, I can still see them peeking over your collar bones. Then we will go into town, and we will purchase some more fabric. This will allow you to see what humans do on land." With this Sango slid one of the semi transparent walls to reveal another room that held a chest.

Sango reached into the chest and began pulling out various pieces of cloth, much prettier than the ones that the group currently wore.

"Now Rin here is the thing, because you will be wearing this, we will have to come up with a story for why, because only the rich wear this. Since this village is not too familiar with us, we will just say that we are your servants and you are a traveling lady. " Miroku explained. "It will make everything much easier."

"Why are these village people not too familiar with you? Haven't you been living here long?" Rin asked confused.

Miroku frowned slightly, but immediately rearranged it back to a smile and replied.

"You see Rin, we have been traveling trying to help someone, and we just returned today from being away, so we don't know these people well. We have been off this island for almost three moons. You were quite in luck that we got back today. Why did you choose today?"

Rin smiled "I came today because I believe I found my calling. I was above the waves and this large ship floated past me. On it was one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen. I decided that it was time, and that I would find him and Kagome now while I can"

Miroku look startled for a second before he turned around and walked to Sango. Rin looked at him curiously, wondering what she said that cause his reaction.

Miroku reached down and whispered to Sango. She flinched and stood up, holding four bundles in her hand. She flipped around and headed towards Rin.

"Is something wrong? I have I done something?" Rin asked quickly. Sango shook her head slowly with a grim look on her face.

"Rin we have been with Kagome for the past few months. She had been fleeing someone that was looking for her. We split up just yesterday; we cannot go looking for her now. We must separate for some time. If you want to find her, we can only do so much." Sango said sadly. "Besides, she is supposed to be somewhere…Dangerous to someone that has just beached. I'm not sure you would want to find her."

Rin looked at Sango with alarm. "What is this place you speak of?"

Sango sighed and motioned for Rin to sit down as she arranged the fabric in front of her. "She is with the Youkai."

A/N: Hello everyone! I am so sorry for the three months it has taken me x.x I got bogged down after getting two jobs and then school started, which was suuuper fun :P Anyways, I'm gonna write another chapter today and either post it this weekend or the beginning of next week and then hopefully continue that cycle. I hope y'all will stick with me through this story and again I'm sorry for taking so long. Hope you like the chapter, and don't forget to review so I can get better!


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